Duty Bound
by MidnightRhymer
Summary: DM/HP summary inside and on my page. During sixth year and beyond. totally alternate universe... sorry peeps
1. The Tank

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Duty Bound

Chapter One: The Tank

_Blue. The world had gone blue. All Harry could see were blue people, blue machines, blue lights; blue everything. His emerald green eyes held pain and fear as he found that he couldn't move his arms or legs. As a matter of fact, he couldn't even move his head. Looking out, he realized that the people weren't permanently blue; there was just a lighting that made them look blue. He went to sigh in relief when he found that there was a mask pumping oxygen to him over his mouth and nose. He began to panic when he managed to look at his shoulders and notice that he was shirtless. Looking down slightly, he found that his head was elevated above his body, revealing that he was pant-less as well. There was a strange apparatus over where his underwear would be, hiding his most secret body parts from view. Looking out of the tank, panicking more and more as each second went by, he noticed strange, blurry wizards looking up at him in shock. One raced out of the room as the others scrambled around getting blurry papers together. _

_**It's blurry because you have no glasses,**__ he thought._

_His eyes and head moved as far as they were allowed to see as much as he could. The container that he was in looked round, and appeared to have some sort of liquid inside it. He had heard of Muggle cryogenics before and he began to wonder if he was in the future. Then, out of the shadows stepped Voldemort. He looked like someone else, but he was definitely Voldemort, alright, since Harry's scar burned even inside the soothing liquid. _

_"Harry, Harry, Harry. You got pretty badly beat up over the summer, so I simply had to help you recover. Then I decided that maybe I should keep you here as a pet. Perhaps you will see the truth and purpose behind my actions," he said in that liquid honey voice of his._

_Harry tried to yell and scream but found that his vocals were cut off before they were even out of his throat. His throat itself hurt like hell. He struggled against the bonds, fighting to get at Voldemort; to kill the man who had taken so much away from him but found that the golden chains holding him in place tightened with every move he made. Voldemort smiled before turning to a nearby assistant. As the assistant turned to his panel, the chains slackened, leaving him a little freer to move._

_"For now, Harry."_

"Ron! Have you seen Harry?" Hermione asked softly as she entered their compartment.

"Nope," Ron replied, concern for his friend filling his face.

They were back on the train again, headed for their sixth year at Hogwarts. Harry was supposed to come to the Weasley's half way through the summer, but he had never shown up. Dumbledore had told them that Harry had prior obligations and couldn't make it, but there was an air of worry in his voice that couldn't be ignored. All summer, Ron and Hermione had diligently waited for him to show up, but as every date arrived, Dumbledore once again came to tell them that he was busy; each time the worry became more and more prominent. The last time had had all of the Weasley's who were still in touch and Hermione shaking with fear. Dumbledore had finally revealed that Harry was not at home; that no one knew where he was. All they knew was that Snape had told them that Voldemort had somehow gotten his hands on Harry and was keeping him alive to toy with at his leisure.

The train, while it had once been a gateway to freedom, was now a ride to tell. A grueling six hour ride throughout which they knew they would relive all their memories of Harry from all six years past. Everything from little, excited, can't-stop-bouncing-up-and-down-in-his-seat Harry Potter, scared eleven year old who just found out he was magical to scared, despondent, all-around-broken Harry Potter who boarded the train last year with a heavy heart and tears in his eyes.

"What? No Potty this year, Weasel?" Draco's sneering voice cut through the pain.

"No, Draco. Harry's been missing for half the summer," Ron replied, all the fight gone out of him. He turned his blue eyes upward and watched Draco Malfoy lose his balance and blanch

"Jesus…" Draco whispered as he plunked down next to Hermione.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned for her enemy despite everything. It was, after all, her nature to care.

"I… I didn't believe him… or I would've told Severus sooner… Harry's been captured…" Draco whispered softly.

"What do you know?" Ron growled, the promise of information too much for his already over taxed, over worked, underappreciated brain.

"Only that he's being held in a lab about five miles from Hogsmead, so the Dark Lord can force him to watch as he destroys Hogwarts when his plan goes into effect," Draco said softly, concerned for Harry.

"I thought you hated us…" Ron told him. "Why are you helping us?"

"Never. I was just... jealous I guess. You… You guys are so happy despite the imperfections in your life. I have all the money, power, and fame I could ever want and… I never see my father; I'm probably going to end up in an arranged marriage with a girl I don't even know; my father will probably force me to work for the Ministry to Voldemort who knows which; I'll never get to do anything I want," Draco revealed.

"Shit," Ron whispered.

"Well… we have our friends, and that's what makes us happy. It's not because we have Harry "Bloody Famous" Potter in our pocket. It's because we have a friend named Harry who's fiercely loyal to us, no matter how badly we fuck up," Hermione replied.

"Maybe you should've tried to get to know us before you started torturing us," Ron said bitterly.

"I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have intruded…"

"No, stay. I didn't mean it like that, mate," Ron said quickly.

"I… I shouldn't intrude, though," Draco said as he got up to leave.

"You've brought us a step closer to Harry. That's more than anyone else who has intruded has ever done. So you have earned the right to stay," Hermione said, pulling him down by his robes.

Draco, shocked, fell back down beside Hermione. His steel grey eyes drifted out of focus as he remembered all he'd done so far to fuck things up. His words on the train to Harry, made in bitter haste against Ron; his Seeker position on the House team in second year, despite the fact that he hadn't earned it; the killing of Buckbeak in third year; the Potter Stinks badges from fourth; joining the Inquisitorial Squad last year; all such spectacular failed attempts at impressing Harry; instead, what he did appeared to make him sick.

And Draco found he couldn't blame him.

_Bitterly, Harry thought about his friends on the Hogwarts Express. There was so much he wanted to say to them before Voldemort killed him, but now he would never get the chance. He wanted to tell Draco that he'd never really hated him. He'd hated himself more than anything. He'd fallen in love with someone unobtainable, and that pissed him off. He wanted to tell Hermione that she was the best Muggle-born in the world, and he would never, ever regret having met her on the train that day. He wanted to tell Ron that he was the closest thing to a brother he'd ever had. He wanted to tell Neville that he should never let anything hold him back; to go for the gold or die trying. He wanted to tell Luna that she would make a great writer and a great wife to someone someday. He wanted to tell Ginny that she was beautiful, even if Harry didn't love her like that. He wanted to tell Dumbledore that he was sorry for breaking up his office last year and eavesdropping and jumping into a bowl full of his memories and so much more that he couldn't even remember. He wanted to tell Snape that he hated his guts more than anything else in the world. There was so much left that he'd never be able to accomplish now because part of him knew that he'd never get out of the tank. For that was what it was, a containment tank capable of holding a small, angry elephant for thirty-six years. _

_He hated Voldemort more than anything. He hated him because he had taken so much away from him, but he also pitied him, because he'd never known love and compassion like everyone else. He wished he could show him the love and compassion, but his chance was lost. With the Horcruxes, there was no chance of him being able to reach the boy inside of him; the boy called Tom Riddle. _

Despite Harry's disappearance, everything went on pretty close to normal at Hogwarts. The only difference was Draco Malfoy and his Slytherins were no longer attacking Ron and Hermione every chance they got. Draco, Ron, and Hermione spent all their free time locked away in the library, looking up maps and books on the areas within a five mile radius of Hogsmead. They put their heads together and made a list of every probable location where Harry could be located. It was several rolls of parchment long; far too long for the Order to investigate before it was too late. As September turned to October, they buried themselves in the books, deleting multiple locations on the list until they got it down to a reasonable length of about a half a roll of parchment. By October 27th they were read. They raced up to Dumbledore's office with it to find Snape and Dumbledore deep in conversation.

"Dumbledore, I implore you to see reason. It's not normal for a Slytherin and two Gryffindors to hang around each other this much. They're thinking of going after Potter!" Snape's dark voice growled.

"Actually, we were making a list," Hermione interrupted.

Both Professors turned to look at the three students in the doorway. Their eyes skimmed from each individual to the next, Snape trying to figure out what each was thinking. The darker, more sinister professor found himself blocked on all three accounts by brick walls made out of lead bricks. Never before had the man been met with such strong resistance and he'd never expected it out of Draco, let alone the other two. He was so enraptured by the juicy mystery that he almost missed Draco's next words.

"And why wouldn't it be normal for three friends to hang out together?" Draco asked.

"Never mind; what's this about a list?" Dumbledore asked.

"We compiled a list of all the probable locations that Harry could be using Draco's knowledge of him being within a five mile radius of Hogsmead. At first it was way too long, but we shortened it to about a half a roll of parchment after revising it a little," Hermione explained as she began to hand over the two rolls of parchment with all the locations on it. Only the places with an X beside them were to be checked, she would later explain.

"Knowing you research habits, I'd imagine that this list is very thorough," Snape sneered as he attempted to snatch the parchment.

Dumbledore, although many years older, was by no means an old man; he grabbed it first. Unrolling and looking at both scrolls, he nodded every few items down and smiled at a few.

"I believe, we may have come one giant step closer to finding our mislaid Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said with a smile.


	2. Draco's Past

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Thanks a bunch to everyone whose read, reviewed, and added this to their alerts list!

Duty Bound

Chapter Two: Draco's Past

Draco stared at the top of his four poster in agony. It would've been nice for the agony to have been physical, but it wasn't. The agony stemmed from his heart. For the better part of a year, he and his father had been drifting away. On the train on September 1st, he had been hell bent on apologizing to Harry, Ron and Hermione and gaining their friendship. Now, with a third of the Golden Trio missing, it had become the Golden Quartet, minus one. Harry was still MIA, despite the four and a half month long search for him, not counting the month and a half in the summer. Every weekend, the three remaining parts of the Golden Quartet would sit in the Three Broomsticks with a pint of warm butterbeer in their hands, waiting for Harry to be returned to them. Standing in the dead silence of the streets each weekend, they were disappointed time after time as the Aurors returned to the village empty handed. As each sight was scoured, the Order began to delve into the sites that Ron, Hermione, and Draco had discounted. Angry to see his new friends in such a state, Draco began to despise Voldemort, and in turn his father, even more than he had previously. He could often be found growling angrily as he looked off towards Hogsmead each day at meals. Everyone in his house began to leave him in solitude, making him wish that Ron and Hermione knew the secret passage into Slytherin.

"So, Draco, anything new happening in here?" came Hermione's voice as she poked him on the forehead.

"What? How?" Draco sputtered.

"We have a map of the grounds, my dear ex-Malfoy," Ron replied.

"Ex?"

"Don't you read the papers? You've been disowned. Apparently, dear old daddy doesn't like you running around with us," Ron laughed.

Draco smiled. He was finally free. A little of his inner agony fell away in light of his friends being in the his dormitory with him, and even more fell away with the news of his father's mutual hatred. He gazed up at the open door in the ceiling that they had come through in wonder. How had his dream taken the place of his hated life and his former life come only in his nightmares? It had, however, and Draco found that he didn't care how it had managed it. He was marginally happier now than he'd ever been.

_Harry's emerald green eyes stared out of the tank to see Voldemort's red ones, again. He dropped his gaze again, having lost the will to fight about thirteen or fourteen dreams ago. Dreams were his only measure of time, because it was always just a blue mass of darkness in this cursed building he was stuck in. When he dreamed, Harry saw Sirius and his parents and all his friends sitting on the Hogwarts grounds, waiting for him. He would talk to them, and Draco would be there, and they would run to each other, and then… he woke up. He never got past that part. It always stopped right there. With a silent scream, he gave up on hoping and lost himself once again in the bliss of sleep. _

Draco awoke to bright sunshine glaring in at him. At first, he was confused. There was never, ever sunshine in the Slytherin dungeon. But then he remembered; he wasn't in Slytherin. He was sleeping on the couch of the Gryffindor Common Room, having come back with Ron and Hermione the night before. Still in a haze, he looked down and found that there was a set of cleanly pressed robes and his bag with all of his books and supplies inside, rearranged to compliment his class schedule and to be more organized. Asleep in the chair next to him was Hermione, and curled up on the floor beneath that was Ron, whose head was resting on Hermione's leg. Standing up, he found that he was covered in two blankets. Taking one each hand and covering Ron and Hermione, he grabbed his robes, and the soap and shampoo he'd found beneath them and walked off to the showers.

Silently, Draco turned the water on scalding hot. Sighing at the heavenly steam that rolled out of the shower and hit him full in the face, he stepped inside, leaving his robes just outside the stall. In deft silence he lathered up his body, waiting for his favorite dream to come back to him. And, in time, it did.

He found himself imagining what it would be like to have Harry pressing up against him; what it would be like for it to be Harry's hands lathering his body, Harry's hands all over him, Harry's hands touching his most secret, sensitive parts. Whatever it would be like, Draco was sure it would melt even his ice cold heart.

***

When Hermione and Ron woke up, Draco was just exiting the showers with his clean robes on. They both smiled softly and sat up. He came back to the couch and sat down, ignoring Ginny Weasley's squeal of surprise.

"What's he doing here?" she whispered loudly.

"He is here because we invited him," Ron told her.

Warily, Ginny took a seat on the couch beside him. She looked him over, and when she decided that he wasn't going to curse her, she relaxed a little.

"It's so weird, Harry not being here and all… I mean… whenever you guys sleep down here, it's usually because you were working on some top secret plan to destroy Voldemort… or the next Dumbledore's Army lesson, or something like that. Now… you slept out here because Malfoy-"

"Draco, Ginny. His name is Draco," Hermione corrected.

"Sorry, Draco. Now you slept out here because Draco was here. What I don't get is how you three became great friends in about thirty minutes," Ginny finished.

"I never really hated them," Draco explained.

"And we never really hated him," Ron and Hermione echoed.

"So… you're all really good pals now?" Ginny asked.

"Not really good… not like we are with Harry… but we're trying really hard to get there," Hermione answered.

"Speaking of that… it's the weekend… why is all my stuff up here?"

"We're not letting you sleep down there all alone, mate. You're staying up here. We've made you an honorary Gryffindor, since it takes a hell of a lot of courage to apologize," Ron declared.

"Oh, really?" came the voice of Snape from the portrait hole.

"Professor!" all four cried in unison as they stood up.

"I came up here to tell you that Dumbledore would like Mr. err… Draco to stay up here for the rest of the year… but I guess you must have foresight," Snape said coldly before turning on his heel and walking out.

"Ok, mate, now that that's settled, we're taking the day off watching for Harry at Broomsticks on McGonagall's orders. We're just gonna talk it up for a while, but not here. We're going somewhere else… somewhere private," Ron declared, standing up.

"All right, where to?" Draco said, standing up as well.

"We'll tell you once we find it," Hermione replied.

_Harry groaned as he came to consciousness once again. At first, it seemed like he was still dreaming since Draco's face loomed in front of his poor eyes. The image faded, though, and he was looking down at the wizards who were monitoring him. They seemed to notice he was awake, since they all took out their wands, in case he should miraculously appear outside the tank. They returned to gazing at their monitors as a man in a white coat walked over and pushed a button, returning him to a position not unlike standing. They once again had him test his muscles, making sure that the blue fluid was doing its job to keep him healthy. In the first few months, this hadn't been necessary, since he had struggled every time he was awake, but now, Harry barely moved except in these tests. _

_When he was finally able to return to normal, Harry slid back into his mind again._

Draco smiled at the room. It was the Room of Requirement, and this time, it was sound proof and equipped with a couch, three cozy chairs, a fire place, a table, a deck of cards, a few sheets of paper, some board games that Draco didn't recognize, and of course, books on the walls. As he looked around, though, there was a mirror that held entirely pictures of Harry that did not do him justice. There was a picture of him getting off the train in first year, one of him playing Quidditch, his black hair plastered to his forehead, revealing his gorgeous green eyes, one of him flying on Buckbeak in third year, one of him after he had defeated the dragon in fourth year, one of him with Ron and Hermione in that very room from just last year. But the most startling of all was the scariest one, the most recent. It was a picture of Harry's mostly naked body floating in a tank of blue liquid. But as soon as this registered in Draco's mind, the picture shifted to one of him and Sirius together.

Draco shook his head and sank into a chair. Ron took a seat in the armchair across from him and Hermione sat next to the red head.

"We came down here today so we could talk and hang out in private. You see… we wanted… to talk about the… the scars… on… on your wrists… but we didn't want it to be publicly advertised that you…" Hermione trailed off.

Draco put his index finger and thumb against his eyelids, forcing them closed as he thought. They wanted to know why because they didn't want to upset him and make him do it again, that was obvious, but why they had gone to such drastic lengths to put him in such comfortable surroundings was not.

"Why?" Draco asked.

"Why what?" Ron replied.

"Why would you do this for me? I've made your life a living hell ever since you stepped onto the train. Why would you go so far to keep this hidden?" he elaborated.

"Because you're our friend now… and that's what friends do… they keep each other's secrets when it becomes too much to bear," Hermione answered.

"It… It started during second year… I got a letter from my father… telling me that I was not in any danger at Hogwarts. That the monster was only after mud- Muggleborns. I know you may have heard that I'd hoped you were going to get killed, Hermione, but… inside, I was scared. I didn't want anything to happen to any of you, despite what I said or did. I felt ugly inside, and I thought that maybe… maybe I could cut the ugliness off me… in third year, the Buckbeak incident was a cover for a particularly deep cut. I got pretty angry when my dad got the hippogriff sentenced to death. I was going to go down there that day to apologize… but I didn't want you to know that. I don't… I don't know why… but I didn't… so I made up this bogus story about wanting to watch it get killed. I was really surprised when you hit me, Hermione. You throw a very good punch for a girl. In fourth year, I wanted to root for Harry… but… my whole house decided to back Diggory, and I couldn't let them find out, so I played along. When Harry came back with Diggory's body… I was scared. The next day, at the feast, I was even more scared when I found out who killed him… Last year… I joined the Inquisitorial Squad because my father told me that if I didn't, I'd get the beating of a lifetime…" Draco told them.

"Blimey, did we have you figured wrong!" Ron exclaimed.

"We figured you were just a stuck up brat," Hermione said as she blushed.

Draco laughed. "I only got what I wanted when it came to food. I never, ever got anything else I wanted. They tried to spoil me… but what I really wanted was love… and I never got that…" he said softly.

Hermione moved over to the arm of Draco's chair and sat down beside him. Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, she stared at his pale blond hair in wonder. It hid so much pain beneath its fine locks that she was surprised it hadn't turned blood red. Ron stood and grabbed the deck of cards.

"Let's get off the subject of annoying pricks for parents," he said with a smile.

Draco returned it and slid down to the carpet, where they started playing poker, betting I.O.U.'s for chocolate, butterbeer, and even a few things from Fred and George's store. By the time they had finished, Draco and Hermione were up by sixteen I.O.U.'s, all of them Ron's.


	3. The Plot Unfolds

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Duty Bound

Chapter Three: The Plot Unfolds

Draco curled tighter into his blanket as Ron tried to prod him awake. There were murmurs about him being as hard to wake as Harry before the intruders left. Draco dropped back into what had been a peaceful slumber to find that the tattered remnants of a good dream had evolved into a nightmare.

_Draco stared up at the tank in wide eyed horror. Floating inside the tank was Harry Potter, mostly unclothed and defeated. His emerald eyes no longer held their spark of life like they had. It was almost as though he were of the void, unable to feel or love again. Slowly, he turned to see Voldemort approach. He could bear no more and dropped to the floor. He rolled into a fetal position and began to scream for Harry._

"_Harry! SAVE ME!" he screamed._

"_Draco," he heard._

"Draco?" Hermione cried, her voice growing panicky and higher with each time she said it.

Draco flew forward on the couch and clamped a hand over his mouth to stop a scream. He sank back down again and looked into Hermione's chocolate brown eyes. She tried to smile a little, and failed.

"That must've been some nightmare. We could hear you in the portrait hole screaming for Harry," Ron said softly.

"You heard that?" Draco groaned.

"Don't worry mate. Harry's not the straightest arrow in the book either," Ron laughed softly.

Reaching behind his head, Draco grabbed a pillow and threw it at Ron, who laughed a little more and set a plate of steaming hot breakfast on the table nearest. Hermione sank into and arm chair nearby and sighed in relief.

"It was too clear," Draco noted to himself.

"What was too clear?" Hermione and Ron asked in unison.

"The dream. It was way too clear for a dream. I had to've picked it up from someone's head. There's no mistaking a Legilimens dream. It's like being there," Draco replied.

"Harry always said that those dreams were too much to handle. It was like bearing witness to You-Know-Who's crimes," Ron agreed.

"What did you see that made you cry for Harry?" Hermione asked.

"He… Harry was inside this tank full of blue liquid… it was almost like… he was dead inside… all the light was gone from his eyes… and then… You-Know-Who showed up… and… I dunno… it felt like… like I was dying…" Draco replied.

"Really? Harry in a blue tank…" came Dumbledore's thoughtful voice.

"Yes, Professor… it was almost like… like he wasn't inside his head anymore… like he'd given up… I guess that's what scared me the most," Draco added.

"I think… we need to add this information to the Aurors arsenal," Dumbledore replied, taking Draco by the arm.

_Once again… Harry floated back into the real world. Draco's face loomed in front of him once again but faded just as quickly. Lingering, though, was his voice._

"_Harry! SAVE ME!" he cried._

_For an instant, Harry found the strength to struggle again, until Voldemort appeared in his vision. Then, he fell back and closed his eyes._

"_He is broken…" Voldemort whispered._

Draco clutched his heart and fell to the ground in agony. Roving around his mind, tearing it apart, were the words "He is broken." He covered his ears with his hands, trying desperately to block out the voices. His heart beat erratically, slamming against his rib cage. Without warning, he belted out a scream, piercing the calm of the halls with its pain. He squeezed his eyes shut and saw a single word revolving around. "Velorum" his mind screamed. Suddenly, it all stopped.

"Velorum Swamp. He's in Velorum Swamp," Draco gasped to Snape.

"The Or- They've already checked there," Snape snapped quickly.

"Not in the right spot. They weren't looking underneath the water. He's in an underground lab. There's only one way to get to it," Draco corrected.

"No… you can't risk yourself like that!" Snape said, losing every ounce of his cool demeanor in the face of fear.

"I don't have any choice. I have to get him out of there, or I won't live long myself," Draco replied.

"You can't put yourself in danger for him, Draco! He'd kill us if we let you," Ron growled.

"Don't have much choice as far as who can get to it. I don't think any of your Aurors are half-breeds," Draco growled in reply as he stood.

"Draco is right," Dumbledore said softly, "We haven't got much of a choice."

"Albus, you can't send him idly into danger! He'll get himself killed!" McGonagall cried from nearby.

"He doesn't have a choice," Hermione whispered.

"What was that Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.

"Draco doesn't have a choice… he's blood-bound, and he knows it," Hermione replied.

"What?!" Snape growled.

"In order… In order to make sure that we would be able to stay friends, no matter what, we blood bound each other. Harry's missing, but we had something we could use for now… a strand of his hair… Now, Draco has to save Harry… he doesn't have a choice, and neither do we," Hermione replied calmly.

"Why don't you have a choice, Miss Granger," Dumbledore asked.

"Because… we're duty bound to protect each other, no matter what the risk. We have to go in and get him now that we know how to get to him. We all have to help, or something bad will happen," Hermione said, being as vague as possible.

"What will happen?"

"Whoever doesn't help… will die… They'll die the same way Harry does if we can't get to him in time. Look, we're wasting time! We're going after Harry, alone if we have to," Hermione growled out, her temper flaring.

Suddenly, in a brilliant puff of smoke, Draco, Ron and Hermione disappeared, leaving the teachers dumbstruck.

"What the hell was that?" Ron yelled in surprise as he landed on soft ground.

"We had to get out of there. Now… how are we going to do this?" Hermione said quickly.

"You did that?" Draco asked in disbelief.

"Look, do you want to save Harry or not?" Hermione growled back at him.

"Alright, I'm going down there. I'll take two ropes down there with me and you'll hold the ends. I'll get Harry and come back up using the ropes. You'll pull me and Harry up," Draco replied.

"Oh, no you don't. We're all going down there," Hermione and Ron growled.

"How are you going to get down there?"

"We'll use transfiguration. We'll anchor the ropes up here and use them to get back up," Ron answered.

Draco nodded, and they began to prepare to go down. Draco sat down on the ground and concentrated very hard, forcing himself to transform into a giant snake looking creature.

"A… A wyvern?" Ron asked in surprise.

"Tell me about it," Draco hissed.

Hermione used her wand to turn Ron into a shark and herself into a snake. Without an ounce of hesitation, all three jumped in. Swimming down towards a bubble of rock, they began to feel the dark magic rolling off in waves. Hermione smiled a little before delving into the bubble. She screamed as she fell to the floor, and transformed back, landing on her rump. Ron dove in after her, turning back and falling. Draco dropped in and found himself a human again. Turning his head, it was as though his darkest nightmares had become reality.

A blue glow issued from the nearby room, and the three walked toward it. Hermione swallowed a scream and stared up with wide eyes at Harry, who was floating inside the tank. Ten or eleven dark wizards stared at them, wands drawn. Draco raised his own, and the firefight began.

_Harry stared out through the blue haze as bright green and red flashes attacked unseen wizards. Finally, the firefight stopped, and he heard three sets of footsteps approach the tank. It was Ron, Hermione and… Draco._

Draco's breath hitched as he saw a small amount of light enter Harry's eyes within the tank. They raced around until they found a big red button. Pushing it caused the liquid to begin to drain. Draco vaulted over the panels of instruments and pulled himself into the container. Floating in the liquid, Draco looked at Harry.

"HE'S ALIVE!" Draco screamed.

"Not for long…"

**A/N: To answer a question I got in my reviews, Sirius is kinda dead and kinda not. He's beyond the reach of normal magic, I'll tell you that right off the bat. But, there may be hope for him yet. Thanks for me reviews, and keep 'em comin.**


	4. Damage Report

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Duty Bound

Chapter Four: Damage Report

Hermione and Ron turned to see Voldemort standing behind them, his rage apparent on his face, giving it an even more pallid look. Harry lifted his head and realized that of course it was too good to be true. Hermione fired a curse and pulled Ron behind a stack of equipment as Draco frantically untied Harry. Knot after knot of golden rope fell away, and Harry found blood rushing back to his wrists and ankles. Frantically, Draco tore the respirator off his mouth and nose before throwing it aside. In silence, Draco's fumbling, frantic fingers undid the catches on the sides of the waist fixture. Draco tried not to look at the penis of the boy before him, but the young boy was far too well endowed for his own good. Draco shook his head to clear the thoughts from his mind and pulled Harry onto his back. Carefully guiding his wand against the glass, he burned his way out of the tank and jumped down just in time to miss a particularly nasty curse thrown his way.

"You'll not get him far!" Voldemort screeched.

Draco shimmied over to Ron and Hermione, who were firing curses over the container they were hiding behind. One of Hermione's hit home, and they heard the monster of a man blocking their way hit the deck in agony. Ron turned to the blonde boy and Draco was struck by the fire in his eyes.

"This may not have been a good idea, Draco," Ron replied. "I won't die here, but one of us is going to get hurt if we keep this up."

"Nonsense, we can get out of this without one of us getting hurt!"

"How?" Ron asked skeptically.

"I'm working on that!"

"Draco… don't… don't die for me…" Harry whispered hoarsely.

Hermione fired another curse, and growled in anger. Draco was dumbstruck, but continued to fire curses over the equipment. His head was spinning with the thought of his newest idea. Unfortunately, it was also spinning with the words Harry had just said. _Don't die for him? Who else would I die for?_

"Ron, take him," Draco said as he handed Harry off.

"Shit, why?" Ron asked as he took Harry.

"Don't ask," Draco replied as he rose to a crouch.

He ran, hunched over, to the pile across from Hermione and Ron's, making Voldemort think that he had taken Harry over there. Voldemort began firing curses in Draco's direction (a futile attempt to kill the poor boy if there ever was one) and started to close in on the pile that he thought Harry was hidden behind. Draco, unbeknownst to Voldemort, rolled back from the container and dove behind a tiled support beam as he closed in. Draco motioned for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to run as Voldemort came down on the equipment he thought his target was hidden behind. Hermione and Ron, who were carrying Harry between them even though he only weighed a fraction of what he used to, raced out through the opening and out through the bubble. They raced for the ropes leading to shore, their only thought being escaping from the swamp with _both_ their damaged friends intact.

Inside the bubble, Draco dove behind the nearest equipment panel in a desperate attempt to get away from the man he thought was chasing him. To his great surprise, Voldemort was racing back to the bubble. To Draco's even greater surprise, he shouted out a stream of rude curses and stalked off down some hidden corridor. Not wanting to take the chance of him coming back, Draco flew out from behind the panel and dove out of the bubble. He swam for the shore, barely making it in time before he ran out of breath. On the shore, Ron and Hermione sat staring down at Harry, who was on his side, coughing up water. Draco crawled onto the bank and over to him. Harry looked up and smiled weakly, but something was wrong… the smile had no life in it. Harry had been rescued from Voldemort, now could he be rescued from his own mind?

(A/N Sorry for the shortness, but this is more of a filler… like a bridge in a song. Chapter Five has much more… oomph…)


	5. Unbreakable Vows

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Nudity and Rape in this chapter

Duty Bound

Chapter Five: Unbreakable Vows

Harry stared up at Madam Pomfrey with an emotionless mask plastered on his face. She looked down with a sad, knowing smile that was tell-tale. Draco looked down at him in sorrow, feeling it inside him that he had been too late to save him from the worst.

_Why do I care? I won't have any friends now that he's back…_

In his heart, however, Draco knew that that was a lie. His heart would stop beating the minute Harry's did, he knew that. Hair was the most potent thing to use when doing a binding, but it often had drastic effects when consent was never given. But… Ron and Hermione had promised him acceptance with open arms no matter what happened. There was so much left to say to them, and he knew that he wouldn't be abandoned, but part of him wouldn't let go of the thought.

The pale boy turned away to see the red mop that belonged to one Ronald Weasley. Following closely was Hermione, who was loaded down with a stack of books. As Ron emerged from behind the curtain, Draco could see him laden with packages for Harry. Pomfrey left silently as Ron set the packs on the table over Harry's bed and Hermione dropped her books in one of the four chairs. She, herself, dropped into the chair right next to it, and Ron plopped down beside Draco. Harry's eyes were closed, but the blonde knew better than to believe he was asleep. He was withdrawn again, hiding inside his mind.

"He's not asleep," Draco told the other two softly.

"Why would he fake it?" Ron asked earnestly.

"Because we were too late to save him from the worst of it. That violated feeling we've all been having… it's coming from him. I know how those tanks work, and you have to change the fluid inside once a month. He's been gone for much longer than a month, and the fluid was new. You notice how he didn't try to struggle and get free when he saw us? Voldemort broke him and now he's hiding inside his mind, in the only place that's still safe for him," Draco explained.

"His mind isn't even safe…" Hermione whimpered.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked.

"Voldemort has a direct link with his mind. He'll be able to torture him from here…" Ron explained.

"I thought that sick fuck living in my house was bad. I don't wanna imagine him living in my head," Draco said in shock.

As if to accentuate his comment, Harry began to twitch fitfully. Hermione and Ron ran for Pomfrey as Draco dove into the bed and wrapped his arms around the jerking boy, trying to prevent him from breaking anything. Slowly, he calmed down to the point where he was resting peacefully in Draco's arms. Pomfrey came in to see the two boys together and smiled softly as Ron and Hermione stared in shock.

"I was keeping him from breaking anything," Draco said, keeping calm in spite of the electricity pulsing through his body.

Hermione and Ron simply nodded with a dangerous kind of smirk shared on their faces. Draco chose not only to ignore it but also to ignore the look in his friends' eyes and go back to keep Harry still. Madam Pomfrey came in without a word and shooed Ron and Hermione away from the bed, leaving Draco and Harry alone together. Lying in the hospital bed, the pale, platinum haired boy sighed, trying desperately to think of ways to start the conversation that he needed to start as soon as possible; a conversation to get inside Harry's head without the use of Legilimency. The boy had been through enough.

"Harry?" Draco asked.

"Draco?" Harry replied in a flat, emotionless tone.

"What happened to you in there… we could've prevented it if I'd been smart enough to remember the mention of Velorum swamp. I'm sorry," Draco replied.

"It wasn't your fault," Harry replied in that same flat voice.

Silence stole over them again until Madam Pomfrey told Draco he needed to leave. Silently, he got out of the bed and walked out of the hospital wing, feeling worse than he'd ever felt in his entire life.

"He's completely lifeless. There's nothing left of the old Harry inside him that I can get to without using Legilimency. I'd hate to break into his mind, but it's the only way we can help him," Draco finished explaining to Dumbledore.

"And will you help him? Will you protect him as if you were the only one left who could?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course!"

"But how can we be sure that you won't turn on us?" McGonagall asked coldly.

"Draco, will you take an Unbreakable Vow? Dumbledore asked, his wise old eyes flickering with a ghostly smiled that Draco knew was meant to ease his mind. _Still a crackpot old fool,_ Draco thought.

"If it will make everyone feel better, yes, I will take an Unbreakable Vow," Draco replied.

"Hmpf," McGonagall said, still not trusting him.

"Perhaps you should be our Bonder, Minerva," Dumbledore said calmly.

"Hmpf."

Draco and Dumbledore knelt at eye level with each other, their eyes locked as tightly as their hands. McGonagall placed her wand on their hands as Dumbledore began to speak.

"Will you, Draco Malfoy, watch over Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, who is the savior of the Wizarding World?" Dumbledore asked solemnly.

"I will," Draco replied.

A tongue of flame shot out of McGonagall's wand and wrapped around their hands.

"And will you, should it be necessary, lay down your life to protect him until the end of his journey?" Dumbledore asked.

To McGonagall's surprise, Draco answered with a loyal, "I will."

A second tongue of flame burst forth from the wand and snaked its way around their hands.

"Lastly, will you do your best to bring Harry Potter back from his withdrawn mind, even if it means using Legilimency against him?"

It seemed as though Draco would draw away for a moment, and McGonagall smiled in triumph, until he sighed "I will."

A third tongue joined the other two, binding them together for eternity. McGonagall's face glowed red in the light as they stared into each other's eyes, looking for the slightest hint of deception.

Hermione placed her wand against Ron and Draco's tightly clasped hands. Harry was seated nearby, waiting for Draco to turn to him. His eyes were closed and his head rested against the wall. Had anyone walked by, he would've looked normal. Had his eyes been open, however, they would've noticed the stark change from emerald to pine green that was dull and disorienting.

"Will you, Draco Malfoy, swear to protect this society, and these arts, forevermore until the day your heart ceases to beat?" Ron asked.

"I will," Draco replied.

"Will you, Draco Malfoy, teach all who ask it of you all that you can so that we may fight for our freedom?" Ron said after the first tongue wrapped around them.

"I will," Draco said again.

"And, Draco, will you never physically harm a single person unless you deem it necessary?"

"I will."

Draco smiled as the spell bound them, and turned to Harry. They clasped hands, and a jolt of electricity burst through them. Ron touched his wand to their hands.

"Will you, Harry Potter, swear to protect this society, and these arts, forevermore until the day your heart ceases to beat?" Draco said.

"I will," Harry replied in his flat voice. Hermione and Ron winced.

"Will you, Harry Potter, teach all who ask it of you so that we all may fight for our freedom?"

"I will." Ron and Hermione winced once more.

"And, Harry Potter, will you never physically harm a single person unless you deem it necessary?"

"I will."

Harry turned to face Hermione as Draco stood and placed his wand against their hands.

"Will you, Hermione Granger, swear to protect this society, and these arts, forevermore until the day your heart ceases to beat?" Harry said flatly.

Hermione resisted the urge to wince as she said "I will.

"Will you, Hermione Granger, teach all who ask it of you so that we may all fight for our freedom?"

"I will."

"And, Hermione Granger, will you never physically harm a single person unless you deem it necessary?"

"I will."

Hermione's face glowed red as the tongues wrapped themselves and then Harry stood as Hermione turned to face Ron and they clasped hands.

"Will you, Ronald Weasley, swear to protect this society, and these arts, forevermore until the day your heart ceases to beat?" Hermione asked.

"I will."

"Will you, Ronald Weasley, teach all who ask it of you so that we can all fight for our freedom?"

"I will."

"And, Ronald Weasley, will you never physically harm a single person unless you deem it necessary?"

"I will."

"Harry? Harry… I'm going to look inside your head now. Don't fight me, I won't hurt you," Draco whispered unsteadily.

Harry sat there, dull green eyes vacant, and said nothing. Draco put a hand on both his cheeks and turned his head so that Harry was looking directly into his eyes. The blonde felt the familiar pull of being inside someone's mind, and felt Harry tense beneath his hands.

"I won't hurt you," Draco said softly as he slipped inside Harry's mind.

He moved through memories, ignoring the Unbreakable Vow ceremony from earlier and diving into his time in the tank. He skipped over the rescue and the day before until he saw Voldemort pulling him out of the tank. Draco slipped inside and froze. Harry was being pulled away, his body limp and unmoving. He did not struggle, he did not fight, he did not cry out. The Golden Boy's nude form was pulled inside a room, where he was chained to the wall. Draco heard the sounds of the tank draining in the background as he watched in horror. Voldemort's cloak fell to the floor, revealing his pale, snake like body completely. The snake-like monster went to Harry in deft and controlling silence, pulling him up by his hair and setting him on the nearby bench. The evil creature sat beside him and picked him up again. Draco turned his head just as the Dark Lord who he had been born to serve let the young boy drop onto his throbbing penis. Draco pulled himself out of Harry's memories, deciding that one rape was enough for Harry to have to remember for one day. When he came back into his own mind, Draco could see Harry's eyes fill with tears, fill with hate, and fill with emerald green life again.

"Why'd you drag that up when I tried so damn hard to forget it?" Harry yelled as he dove onto him.

"You need to remember, Harry. I know it hurts, but you have to come out of that head of yours. We all miss the Harry we had before this. I know you'll never be the same again, but we want the Harry Potter that loves life and everything in it back. We'll go to the ends of the Earth to get him if we have to," Draco murmured softly, wrapping his arms around the boy. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

"I… I don't know if I can… I've been inside for so long," Harry choked, sitting back on his haunches.

"I'll be here with you. I promise," Draco replied, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder.

The two boys stood, but soon, a thick haze covered Harry's emerald greens. Draco knew that the road to recovery was a long one, and it would not be an easy path to walk, but they would walk it together, for his own sake as much as Harry's.

_Draco whimpered as a red hot iron bar was pressed inside his "backdoor entrance." He tried desperately to scream, but the silencing charm that had been placed on him prevented him from making a single sound. Blonde hair that was not his own swung into his face and stung at his eyes, creating even more pain. Draco's six year old form went limp from the pain as he faded out of consciousness. When he awoke the next morning, his face was a tight, emotionless façade of a mask. Behind it rested utter turmoil and pure humiliation. Far beyond that, Draco Malfoy now lived inside the cave of his mind he'd crawled into, scared to death of what would happen next and what would happen when his father found out how weak he truly was. The emotionless Draco that lay in bed slowly became aware that he was cradled in someone's arms. When he looked up, he saw his mother's teary face. He wanted to comfort her, but he was afraid of what would happen if he came out from inside his mind._

Harry smiled softly at his friends, barely out of his own private cave inside his mind, but enough to show that he was still there; still alive. Ron and Hermione smiled back at him, but they knew that Harry was not entirely better; not entirely there. He was simply there, and for now, they knew it had to be enough. Draco whispered something in Harry's ear, causing him to look ashamed, but nod none the less.

As Harry headed up to Gryffindor Tower, Draco grabbed Hermione and Ron.

"I know where the feeling of violation is coming from. Voldemort… he… he raped Harry, and that's why he's hiding inside his mind. The only way we're going to be able to get him to come out is if we pull out more memories of the tank and let him vent. When he finally vents, he'll be able to see that we're there for him, and he'll hopefully go back to semi normality. He'll never go back to being completely normal, considering all that has happened to him," Draco explained softly.

"I knew we should've killed him when we had the chance!" Ron growled.

"What's done is done. We have to help Harry now or he'll be gone forever," Hermione said softly.

"What can we do, Draco?" Ron asked fervently, rage coating his voice.

"We need to procure some of Madam Pomfrey's dreamless sleep potion to keep him from reliving it in his dreams. I can get Professor Snape to help me with that. We'll also need someone to stand watch over him at night. We also need to check our schedules and make sure that at least one of us is in every class with him so we can keep an eye out. Now that we have O.W.L. placed classes, it may be difficult to keep an eye on him but we have to. If that means going to Dumbledore and asking for a schedule change, that's fine. For the Dumbledore's Army's renewed meetings, we need to make sure that we don't load him up with more than he can handle. I need to speak with Dumbledore about setting up flyers again. Also, if he should happen to want to go for a midnight stroll for food, someone needs to at least accompany him down. If he wants to be alone, let him be alone. Get Ginny in on this to help you out, too. I have to go see Dumbledore. I'll tell you why when I get back to the tower," Draco said quickly before running off toward the gargoyle.

"He's gone bonkers," Ron said swiftly as they hurried to the tower.

"No… I think he's under orders," Hermione replied.

"Mr. Malfoy, so glad you could make it. I trust you have good news, given your reputation for perseverance," Dumbledore said as Draco entered.

"Yes and no, sir. Harry allowed me access to his mind, and he was back to normal for a while… but we have a problem sir," Draco replied.

"And what would that be?"

"He was raped by Voldemort, sir. I don't know how many times or when it started yet, since I only saw the most recent one, but I'll bet it's been going on for a while. He seemed to know what was going to happen when they were getting ready to change the fluid in his tank. It's going to be a long road to recovery, but with all of us involved, he should be able to make it most of the way. I don't think he'll ever be the same Harry we knew, but he'll definitely be close," Draco reported.

Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose in thought. He seemed to look so much older now that he had been told of the suffering Harry had endured at Voldemort's hands. He seemed to have reached a decision when he finally looked at Draco again.

"You have begun preparations to restart the D.A. meetings, correct?" The old man asked.

"Yes, sir," Draco replied hesitantly.

"I heard something about a ceremony between the four coordinators, am I correct in that as well?"

"Yes, sir. It was an Unbreakable Vow ceremony to prevent any treason among the teachers," Draco answered.

"Well then, what can't you tell me?"

"I am bound to protect the D.A., teach all those in the D.A. and not use any spells or physical means to bring harm to anyone unless it should be necessary," Draco explained.

"Anything else?"

"No, sir," Draco answered.

"All right, then. I will allow Miss Granger to place her fliers, sparing her of the need to drag herself up here. I understand that you do not wish any of my staff to intervene?"

"That, too, is correct, sir."

"All right, they will have to be notified of the class roster so they will not hinder any students. How is this setup to work?"

"There will be a class on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as well as chances to make-up missed items on Tuesday and Thursday since we will be coordinating on those days. The four of us have decided that no one else shall be involved in the efforts to coordinate. Harry will be our main teacher, and the three of us will be demonstrators. He will teach us anything we don't know on Tuesday or Thursday. Class rosters will be posted after each class is filled."

"So it's just the four classes?"

"Harry handled about fifty students in the D.A. last year, so we're cutting back to thirty a class for a while. Any new additions will be added later on. We'll be needing the use of the Room of Requirement," Draco added.

"I wanted to talk to you about that… I think it'd be best, for all parties involved, if Harry and his… guard were to live out of the room for the duration of Harry's condition. It would allow for him to keep from having to answer any questions from other Gryffindors, especially after exams and such," Dumbledore replied.

"Guard?"

"Yes, those of you dedicated to helping Harry out of his hole," Dumbledore replied.

"Well… we'll all move in tonight," Draco said, and he turned to leave.

"Draco?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Thank you for taking the vow. It's eased the staff's nerves immensely."

"You're welcome, Professor," Draco replied.

"We… what?!" Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna shouted in the hall on the seventh floor.

"We are going to live in the Room of Requirement until Harry is better. Neville, Ginny, and Luna will remain in their normal dormitories and give the excuse of increased protection to anyone who asks in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff and Slytherin will just have to speculate, unless I can get to Blaise, then he can help us, but otherwise we're screwed," Draco said.

"How can we trust you?" Neville asked quietly, his timid voice expecting to be snapped at.

"I have taken an Unbreakable Vow to Dumbledore to protect Harry and bring him back to normal at all costs," Draco replied.

Silence stole across the hall as Ron and Neville went back to get Harry from the Tower. Hermione, Luna, Ginny, and Draco started the slow discussion as to what would be the best setting for Harry to reach the maximum amount of relaxation in. By the time Ron and Neville explained the situation and brought Harry down from the tower, they had the room entirely planned out.

Draco paced three times in front of the wall. After he finished, a door materialized, revealing a room that was decorated in soft creams and in warm reds. A silver silk cloth hung from the center of the ceiling, and all along the joint of the wall and the ceiling it was tucked inside the trim. The room contained five four-poster beds, each one covered in silken sheets and a satin comforter. There was a plush, rich red carpet at their feet and a warm fire place in the far wall. A rug sat beside the hearth, and there were five comfortable arm chairs were stationed around it. A bookcase covered the walls beside the fireplace, and above it, it was loaded with books on everything from dreams to dragons. A large dresser stood beside each bed, and Ron and Draco carried in the five trunks of the five people who would be staying in the room. A table sat in the center, and seven chairs surrounded it. Stacked on the table were many games. Beside it sat a grand chess set and a Gobstone table.

Harry looked around the room, stunned at the sight of it. It was so perfect; a wonderful retreat from Gryffindor Tower, where everyone was asking him if he was alright.

"Thank you, guys. It's wonderful," Harry choked out.


	6. Memories

_**Alright, ladies and germs, I'm back again. I didn't really like the way the story sounded in the first chapters I had written, so I went through and made some altercations. I did just about everything short of rewriting the chapters.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Duty Bound

Chapter Six: Memories

Harry lay in the four-poster he had been given in silent agony. Voldemort had rekindled his mental assault. He shivered with the pain as Voldemort showed him all the pain he'd ever felt, saving that which he'd caused for last. Harry wanted so badly to scream, but to scream would be to show weakness, and that would be folly. Suddenly, he looked up and was staring directly into storm gray eyes.

Draco looked down at Harry sadly, unable to draw his gaze from the pain inside his emerald green eyes. He wanted so badly to do something instead of simply staying where he was, but he was afraid of hurting Harry. He was scared to touch him after what he'd seen. There was no excuse for what had happened to Harry, since he'd never done anything to deserve it. No matter how much he'd felt like hating Harry for picking Ron over him, Draco never would have wished such a fate on anyone. Suddenly, Harry started to stare back. Draco blushed and turned to leave before a warm hand caught his. Cautiously, he turned to face the Golden Boy. Storm gray locked on to emerald green again, and Harry seemed to be pleading for Draco to stay. Warily, Draco moved back to the edge of the bed.

"I… I'm scared…" Harry confessed in a whisper.

Really, it shouldn't have come as a shock to Draco, considering all Harry'd been through, but it did. He looked down at him, surprised that he had the courage to admit such a thing. Instead of a pep talk, Draco merely sat on the edge of Harry's bed. They looked at each other for a few moments before Draco realized how erratic Harry's breathing had become. Without any hesitation, he placed a calming hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Calm down. It'll be all right. He'll never find us here," Draco whispered to the black haired boy.

Harry couldn't say anything more than a simple thank-you before Draco turned and went back to his own bed. Never before had Harry felt so alone.

Draco stretched like an over large cat in the morning as he prepared to get out of bed. A sudden scream forced him directly into consciousness. He shot out of bed like a bat from the belfry and looked toward Hermione, who was standing over Harry's bed while Ron was staring down at the bloody knife in his hands. Draco rushed across the room to Harry's lush, golden bed to find it stained crimson in the morning air. He himself would liked to have screamed, but that was no time for screaming. Harry was covered in a thick layer of crimson blood that was obviously from the wound in his stomach.

"Help me…" Harry pleaded.

"I don't think I can," Draco said softly as he pulled the comforter up to cover the wound.

Harry snatched the knife from Ron's hand.

"Finish it," Harry pleaded.

" RON GET POMFREY DOWN HERE NOW!" Draco roared at him.

"Draco… finish it," Harry pleaded again.

"I won't kill you, Harry James fucking Potter," Draco growled through clenched teeth as Ron and Hermione raced to get Pomfrey.

"Kill it… it's inside me… kill it…" Harry whispered as he faded from consciousness.

"The last thing he said was 'Kill it… it's inside me… kill it' Professor. Does that mean anything?" Draco said, later that same Saturday while Harry was laying sedated in the Hospital Wing.

"I believe Harry was referring to Voldemort's child, which he apparently carries. Poppy came in the day Mr. Potter got out of the hospital saying that he was pregnant. She was under the impression that it was yours, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore replied.

"M-Mine?" Draco stuttered.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. Given your actions in the Hospital Wing that particular evening, it was quite understandable."

"I was only trying to protect Harry, sir."

Dumbledore merely smiled on.

"Well, he obviously fears carrying Voldemort's child to term, but I believe it will be better in the long run for him if he does."

"We'll have to keep an eye on him," Draco replied.

"I think it would be best if it were you and Mr. Potter in the Room of Requirement. I don't think he would like his friends to know of his plight."

"Yes, sir."

Draco turned and left the office with more questions than answers. He walked down the spiral staircase and out through the hole behind the gargoyle to find that Ron and Hermione hadn't changed out of their bloody bedclothes yet.

"He wants me and Harry in the room. He thinks it may have put too much pressure on him with the three of us there, and he doesn't want Harry left alone. I think that he's also going to have teachers record their lessons and send them to him if they can," Draco reported.

"This is madness. He's going to need all of us beside him," Hermione growled.

"Look… I don't know why he wants me in there, but he must have his reasons. We have to… to live with it," Draco trailed off.

Alarm bells were piercing the inside of his skull as he saw Madam Pomfrey approach the gargoyle. He took off at a sprint up the staircase, with Ron and Hermione constantly yelling behind him. Draco rounded the corner and slid into the Hospital Wing to find Harry preparing to plunge a knife into his stomach once more.

"HARRY NO!" he screamed as he dove for the knife.

"I have to kill it," Harry struggled out as they wrestled for the knife.

"No! You can't kill it! It's an innocent. We don't know what it'll be like yet!" Draco yelled as he finally succeeded in grabbing the knife.

Harry hung his head in shame as his friends stood, mouths agape, at the edge of his bed. Hermione burst into tears, while Ron looked like someone had hit him.

"Why is it that you keep trying to kill yourself Harry? Are we that bad of friends?" Hermione sobbed.

"No… when… when I was in the tank… Voldemort… he would take me out… when it was time to change the fluid… and… he… he did things to me… because of that… I have this… this thing… inside me… and I want it out… but the only way to get it out is to kill it," Harry explained, retreating back into his mind to the point where he was mostly there, and mostly not.

"Or give birth to him or her…" Draco added.

"You mean… you're pregnant?" Hermione and Ron echoed in unison.

"Yes…"

"With Voldemort's…"

"Yes…"

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said before embracing him in a bone crushing hug.

"No matter what, we're here for you mate," Ron replied.

"I just… need some time to think… alone… or… mostly alone, since it seems that Dumbledore probably won't want me alone."

"He wants Draco to stay in the Room of Requirement with you. We'll be moving out tonight," Hermione said.

"No offense, or anything, but why Draco?"

"We think… it's because Draco has sworn to protect you… and to help you," Ron answered.

Draco blushed slightly, not quite understanding why.

"Don't worry, we won't say a word," Ron replied with a grin.

"…. I'd like to keep him over night, Professor!" came Madam Pomfrey's shrill voice.

"Out of the question, Poppy. He needs his rest, away from any place that he will be asked questions," Dumbledore answered as the doors swung open.

"I can leave, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked with a smile.

Pomfrey nodded slightly before heading into her office. Draco and Ron helped him up, but Dumbledore stood as an obstruction.

"How much do they know?"

"Harry told them… he told them everything," Draco replied.

Dumbledore nodded before offering to levitate Harry to the room. The quartet declined, claiming that they wanted to carry him as a sign of respect. Really, they wanted to carry him because they were still very wary of using magic around Harry, not wanting him to snap suddenly. That, and Draco had a small feeling in the pit of his stomach that if he let go of Harry, he'd never see him again. They hobbled down the stairs to the Room, where they went in to find it exactly as they'd left it. Hermione and Ron grabbed their trunks, said a quick "See you tomorrow" and raced off to get to the Gryffindor Common Room before curfew.

Draco set Harry down by the tapestry across from the room, between their trunks which he'd dragged out only moments ago. He paced three times, for some reason imagining a romantic getaway room instead of the relaxing room they'd had. He just couldn't get the rich red bed, carpet and cloth hanging like the old room out of his head. Finally, the door opened, and Draco lifted Harry up and helped him into the room.

"Why's everything red?" Harry asked.

"Well… I figured… you know… it'd be a nice change from the… you know… the blue…" Draco stammered, his face beginning to heat up despite his best attempt at control.

"You're blushing, Draco," Harry smiled, a bit of the old him showing through.

"Am NOT It's simply… too hot in here!" Draco said, setting Harry down.

Draco flushed, unable to think of anything better than running out into the hall to get their trunks.

_Am I even capable of loving him?_

"I think I love him…" Draco whispered on the wind.

"Wow… life has changed…" Harry said from the door way.

"Harry I-"

"No sweat, Draco," Harry smiled.

"But you… I don't want to…"

"Let's just say I bounce back from physical assault quickly," Harry replied.

Draco lapsed into silence at the cold, calculated gleam in Harry's eyes that he knew so well.

"_Legilimens!_" Draco screamed, wand pointed at Harry.

_Draco looked at the black cloud of cruelty that was controlling Harry and recognized it at once as Voldemort. He forced his way over to it and began to beat it back. He didn't know how he was doing it, but he was forcing Voldemort back and out of Harry's head. Suddenly, off to the right, he saw a manifestation that was Harry's cave. Caught between not wanting to intrude and curiosity, Draco drifted to it. It was a house; a small, dark house with a street sign near-by reading Grimmauld Place. Stepping up to Number Twelve, Draco rapped sharply on the door. Harry, emerald green eyes and all, stepped out._

_"Draco… what… what are you… how did you…?" Harry stammered._

_"Voldemort… he took over your mind," Draco said, surprised at the echo inside._

_"He… he took it over… but my walls…"_

_"Harry… you can't hide in there forever… we need you back… all of us…" Draco rushed._

_"I… I don't want to come out yet… I'm… I'm scared, Draco…" Harry replied, in the same tone that he had used the night before._

_"At least come out for a little while inside the Room of Requirement, where it's safe still," Draco pleaded._

_"All… Alright…"_

Draco snapped out of his vision to see Harry looking at him with soft, emerald green eyes again.

"Let me get the trunks inside and we'll hole up for the night," Draco said softly.

Draco grabbed the trunks from the hall and pulled them inside. When the doors finally swung shut, Draco turned to find Harry seated on the plush hearth rug, waiting for Draco to approach.

"I'm ready," Harry whispered.

"For what?"

"You're supposed to go inside my mind, right? Dig up what happened in the tank?"

"Or we could just talk about it…"

"I don't think I can," Harry replied.

Draco nodded and took a seat across from Harry. He stared directly into Harry's emeralds before feeling the familiar pull. He leaned into it a little, and had just enough time to register how close they were before he found himself inside Harry's head again.

_Floating through memories, past the most recent rape and on through months of repetition, Draco found something very interesting from inside the tank. Harry was quite obviously dreaming, since the scene shifted from inside the tank to the Hogwarts Grounds. Draco could see all of Harry's friends and almost family there. But what intrigued him most was himself. He was in Harry's dream. They were running toward each other. They were so close to touching and then BAM! He was back in the tank again. _

_Pulling himself away, he dove deeper into the memory banks, looking for the first time. He found it in a section of Christmas memories. Draco felt his stomach tighten as he thought about what he'd been doing during the Yule Tide season. Forcing the thoughts and guilt away, he looked in. It was the same as ever, save the fact that Harry was actually fighting. Obviously, this had been back when Harry still had some sense. Pulling away again, Draco went back even farther, but found nothing else of interest in the memories involving the tank. He found himself drawn, instead, to a memory from the Department of Mysteries. He let curiosity take the reins and plunged into it, forcing himself down into rows and rows of prophecies as Harry ran toward him. They all tumbled down into a room with an empty arch way, and the memory sped up until half of the Order (Draco had been filled in on them earlier) stood before the Death Eaters, including his own father. Sirius Black, who was apparently innocent, stood beside Harry and began firing curses at Lucius and another Death Eater. There was a flash of red light, and Sirius fell into the veil. _

"You've over stayed your welcome, Draco," Harry growled, forcing him from his mind.

"I'm so sorry for what my father did… I… I should probably go. I don't see how you can stand to be around me. If it hadn't been for him, Sirius would be alive now," Draco said as he stood.

"You're not getting out of it that easily," Harry smirked as he grabbed Draco's wrist. "You have to protect me, remember. I don't want you to leave. I just… don't like thinking about what happened, that's all."

Draco smiled, and sat back down on the rug.

"Exploding snap?"

"I'd love to," Harry replied.


	7. Need

**Bloody hell! I've left you with... well... with nothing of worth while recognition. I apologize. Between school and work (plus this huge thing called a crush I've got on the boss man) I've been a busy little under paid, under appreciated, overworked intern... not. Under appreciated... more like over appreciated and occasionally over estimated. Overworked? Hah! not even close.**

**I'm rambling, aren't I?**

***smack***

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Duty Bound

Chapter Seven: Need

Draco awoke to hear Harry's ragged breathing coming from right next to him. It was a dangerous move, so soon after Harry's escape, but Draco rolled over and took Harry in his arms, pulling him tighter than necessary. There was nothing to stop Draco from comforting the boy, but he simply couldn't find the words. It was in that silence that Draco realized something; whether he had taken the blood binding or not, his heart would stop the very second Harry's ceased to beat.

"Draco," Harry moaned, throwing his arms around Draco's neck and pulling him impossibly close.

Taking a leap of faith, Draco pressed his lips softly against Harry's. From there, things took off at a fevered pace. Harry pulled Draco's nightshirt over the blonde's head, revealing pale abs and a trail of platinum hair leading down to his pajama pants. Draco pulled the nightshirt over Harry's head, revealing a brutally scarred stomach. A single memory hit him like a wave of pain.

_The belt finished its curve, the buckle throwing its momentum into Harry's stomach, cutting him deeply. The pain was excruciating, unlike even that of Harry's scar. His Uncle Vernon stood over him like a tower. Harry whimpered softly, inaudibly in pain, not giving the bastard the satisfaction. Like an angel, his Aunt came in, telling Vernon to let Harry go. She handed him a gauze bandage and left him alone to repair himself. _

Draco snarled in rage at the memory, but Harry simply claimed Draco's lips for his own. The rage was instantly turned to passion as Harry dug at Draco's pants, pulling both them and his boxers off over the blonde's protruding erection. The appendage throbbed in time to his heart beat and Harry stared at its massive length appreciatively. He smiled and took the entire thing into his mouth, sucking as hard as he could on the member. Draco gripped the sheets and threw a scream into the world as he exploded into Harry's mouth. Harry pulled his own pants off and covered Draco's body with his own.

"I want you, Draco," Harry whispered.

"I love you, Harry," Draco whimpered.

"I need you, Draco," Harry whispered back.

"I love you, Harry," Draco said.

"I love you, too, Draco," Harry sighed.

Draco flipped the black haired boy over onto his stomach and inserted two fingers past the throbbing ring of muscle and into Harry's anal cavity. Harry moaned and thrashed, remembering the rape scenes, before Draco once again whispered I love you to the boy.

"We don't have to do this," Draco said softly, his fingers still inside the warmth.

"I want you inside me," Harry growled.

Draco began to move his fingers in and out, scissoring them; stretching him. Finally, he fitted himself against Harry.

"This might hurt a little, I don't really know," Draco whispered softly.

Harry nodded and bit his lip. Draco slid inside slowly, engulfing himself in surprisingly tight warmth. Harry moaned before Draco began to move, thrusting himself in and out, hitting a spot deep within Harry's core and causing a deep resonating current between the two of them. And so two lovers in the dark became one.

Draco and Harry fell to their side, with Draco nestled deep within Harry still. Harry curled into Draco's warmth and found that for once, he was simply in love.

When Harry awoke the next morning, it was to frying eggs and sweet music. He swung his legs out of the plush, crimson bed, and walked slowly toward the sound and smell. Draco was standing over a small magical flame with a pan. There were eggs in the pan, frying themselves while Draco hummed and observed. Harry went to the blond and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist, resting his head on Draco's neck.

"Good morning, love," Draco whispered as he removed the eggs from the fire.

Needing to keep the physical contact between them, Draco grasped Harry's hand tightly in his own. He found he could easily set the table one handed. Silently, they sat down to breakfast, already hungry despite all that needed to be done that day. Just then, the doors opened, and Hermione, Ron, Snape, and Dumbledore walked in, followed closely by Madam Pomfrey. Instinctively, having claimed his love, Draco moved in front of Harry, grasping his hand tightly.

"Calm down, Draco, we merely need to check Harry over. He needs his... prenatal check-up," Dumbledore said calmly.

Draco relaxed his protective stance, but did not release his hold on Harry's hand. Dumbledore realized instantly that Draco and Harry were deeply in love with each other.

"Well, the baby is developing well. At this stage, I don't think it wise for Harry to be doing too much heavy lifting, but such things as books and bags are manageable. Still, I recommend that lessons be delivered here, for both of them. Mr. Potter needs someone to rely on, and it appears he and Mr. Malfoy have become a little attached," Madam Pomfrey informed Dumbledore.

"All right, well, I'm glad to see that Mr. Potter truly is back among us. I will probably visit often. Tell me, do you feel well enough to perform your DA duties now?" Dumbledore said quietly.

"Yes sir," Harry replied.

"All right. Set the date for the first meeting and let me know," Dumbledore told Harry.

"Of course, sir," Harry replied.

Draco still had not let go of Harry's hand.


	8. The First DA Lesson

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT Own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Think about it… if I owned them, would I be here?

**Summary:** All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Everyone was coming back for sixth year… or so they thought. One of their number is missing, and it is up to the most unlikely person in the world to find him. But what happens when he has to be pulled from his own mind?

HP/DM. There will be ROMANCE! A notice will appear at the beginning of the chapter above the story title if there are lemons in that chapter.

Duty Bound

Chapter Eight: The First DA Lesson

Harry smiled softly at Draco as he pulled out a few sheets of paper. Without unlocking their fingers, Harry began to write.

In the Gryffindor tower, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny were rethinking a few things.

All in all, it was shaping up to be a quiet day.

In that respect, no one was prepared for the attack on Hogsmead.

"DUMBLEDORE!" cried Snape, running up to the gargoyle.

"I know, Severus. I know," Dumbledore said softly.

Hermione and Ron raced to the Room of Requirement, flying to Harry and Draco as fast as they could. They raced forward, to what they thought would be their salvation, without any awareness of their surroundings.

It wasn't until they burst into the Room that they found how desperate their situation really was. Draco and Harry were no longer in the room. Sitting on the coffee table in the center of the room was a letter from Harry and a note from Draco. They did not immediately have time to read Harry's letter, but a quick glance at the note told them exactly where to find the two of them.

_"Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Ginny,_

_ Have taken Harry to Hogsmead to await train for Christmas vacation. Will bring back after Easter vacation._ _My prayers are with you in what lies ahead. I apologize for what I'm doing, but Harry's safety is the foremost thing in my mind. I will be back to help, but I must get Harry out of harm's way_.

_Blessings_

_ Draco"_

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, and then back at the door, where they saw Draco, outlined in torchlight and looking very ragged.

"I ran back as fast as I could. I couldn't let Harry get hurt. I had to get him out of here. If you hate me, tell me now, and I'll go back down there without a fuss," Draco said softly.

"Thanks for doing what we couldn't. He must love you very much to have done this," Hermione said softly.

"He won't be too happy with me when he wakes up and finds me gone, but I'll find a way home. For now, we have Voldemort to deal with," Draco replied with s crooked grin.

Hermione and Ron nodded, and the Trio started off. They took off down the hall, making sure to put very little weight into their long running strides. Draco slammed against the wall at the corner, whipping his head around it as fast as he could to see what was coming. No one moved as he dove back, a curse blasting past him.

"GINNY IT'S ME!" Draco cried.

"Oh..." Ginny said, poking her head around the corner.

There, behind her, stood the outline of the rest of the DA's teaching squad, ready and willing to fight. Draco took up the lead, putting great energy and little weight into his long, gazelle-like strides, and the host of students soon found themselves at Dumbledore's side.

"Harry is safely on his way to my home, where my father is not," Draco said softly. "My mother bears no allegiance to him now."

"I had heard that your mother gave him the boot," Snape said softly.

"Mother will be there to pick Harry up off the train as I requested. She knows where to take him," Draco replied, and then he drew his wand.

Behind him, the DA moved as one, pulling their wands from the inner parts of their robes. They took their battle stances, each one ready to fight; to die.

"Such proud warriors you are," Dumbledore said softly.

Draco turned to them, knowing that he was unconsciously taking on a role in his life that he didn't like, but knowing that he needed to, none the less. "DA members! You have been trained well for this moment! In Hogsmead, however, is not the place for all of you. I need twenty volunteers to stay here and protect the school!"

Everyone looked at him, the boy that they had thought of as their enemy for the duration of their training. It was his sneering face that they had seen so long ago, standing in the door of their sanctuary as it was ripped open. It was his sneering face that they had seen time and time again, watching as Harry was hurt, maimed, and almost killed. But, as they looked at him, it was also his face that had changed. It was he who had risked his own ass to get Harry Potter back from the clutches of Lord Voldemort. It was he who had abandoned his family and his housemates to join the good fight. It was he, in his incomparable glory, that had saved Harry Potter from his own hands and his own mind. Was it possible to not trust him now?

Twenty young hands rose into the air hesitantly, and those twenty looked around at the hard, determined faces of their fellow warriors. Who among their friends would not return from Hogsmead?

"At the back, all volunteers. Five to a house; protect your fellow students!" Ron cried, and he pushed Hermione back with them.

"I want you to stay here and keep the fort. Get each group to their respective houses safely. I'll be back when it's over, I swear it," Ron said softly.

"Ron, this is my duty as much as yours. I have to go."

"No, you don't."

Ron turned and ran from the love of his life, running to Draco's side. Hermione, for once in her life, listened to Ron. She would do as he asked until she could stand it no longer and had to leave, but if it would rest his nerves to think that she was here, she would stay, if only for a short while.

"Let's go," Draco said softly, and the DA raced outside.

In the battle that followed, later christened the Battle For Hogsmead, thirteen people died, total. In the smoke and gloom, curses were not very well placed. Four Hogwarts students were lost in the skirmish, and they were mourned. In the end, a final blow to his father's body by Draco Malfoy ended the battle. All he had ever wanted in life was to please the man he had just killed, and the guilt, while tainted with bitter happiness, did not lie quietly.

As Draco rode home on the Hogwarts Express's second trip, watching out the window as the scenery whipped past, he found himself watching, again and again, his father's death at his own hands. He found himself watching as his well placed Hemorrhage Curse struck his father's head, staining his platinum hair crimson. Finally, his eyes snapped open as the train rolled to a stop at Kings Cross. Draco moved out of his compartment, sweeping down the hall and out the door to Platform 9 and ¾ where Harry and his mother stood, wondering if their platinum boy would ever get off the train again. Harry rushed to meet Draco, tears in his eyes. Draco embraced him, smelling the sweet scent of him and feeling the immeasurable warmth of him.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, Draconis Malfoy," Harry whimpered into his chest.

"Never," Draco promised.

Over Easter vacation, Harry and Draco spent a great deal of time with Narcissa, and they found that the woman was a much happier person with Lucius gone. Of course, she knew that Bellatrix Lestrange was going to be after her when she found out that Narcissa had practically sent Lucius to his doom, but she seemed utterly carefree in that manner.

Harry grew to love the woman for the mother she was. She was playful, admonishing, and everything to Draco that Molly Weasley was to him. It would be nice to have such a woman as a mother in law. Draco could see the bond that was beginning to form between Harry and his mother, and he hoped to see it grow, especially after his... announcement was made.

When it came time to leave for Hogwarts again, Harry found himself anxiously awaiting the ride. An entire train ride with Draco by his side was his only thought. He waved goodbye to Narcissa, thanking her for such a wonderful time and extending Ron's written invitation for her to come over during the summer holidays. Draco hugged his mother before following Harry up the steps into the train. They walked toward the back compartments, finding a good spot to sit together in quiet. While Harry got settled, Draco pulled out a "Do Not Disturb; Prefect Within" sign from the depths of his robes and slipped it on the door.

"Ah, now no one will disturb us," he sighed softly.

Harry smiled, and motioned for Draco to sit down. Draco obliged, taking a seat with his back against the wall, legs extended across the bench. Harry settled in on top of him, curling into his warmth. Draco smiled softly, and allowed the boy to sleep.

Three hours later, about half way to Hogwarts, Draco had to wake Harry up.

"Harry? Wake up, _adamo_," Draco whispered.

"Mmmm... no..." Harry murmured, burrowing further into Draco's embrace.

"Please, _adamo_," Draco whispered.

"... no..." Harry said softly.

"_Comodo, adamo, comodo_."

"When you put it that way," Harry growled, sitting up.

Draco placed a silent kiss on the vulnerable boy's lips. And there, it hit him, what Harry reminded him of when he had just woken up; a small, vulnerable child, wanting so desperately to believe something that they cannot quite put faith in themselves.

"Mmmm... wait, we aren't even close to Hogwarts yet!" Harry cried, falling back onto Draco's chest.

"I have something to ask you," Draco said softly, pulling Harry out of the folds of his robes and setting him down on the bench.

Draco slipped off the seat and dropped to one knee.

"Harry Potter, will you marry me?" Draco asked softly.

Harry froze, his eyes locked on the diamond and silver band that Draco had produced from the deep pockets of his robes. Draco took this instantly as a no, and started to put the ring away, but couldn't finish; Harry tackled him to the floor, locking lips with him.

"Of course, you silly serpent," Harry murmured against the kiss.

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling him close. In silence, he slipped the silver band onto Harry's left ring finger, smiling against the kiss.

"Now, you can go back to sleep," Draco said softly.

"Like I could sleep after that."

Draco laughed.

"Alright, divide up. I want all of you to practice that spell," Harry cried to his class of DA students.

Draco smiled at him, catching a glimpse of the diamond ring that laid his claim to Harry in stone. Hermione sauntered over to him, wondering suddenly what the Cheshire grin was for. Ron followed her; he still wasn't happy that she'd snuck away from the castle to help fight for Hogsmead. Draco turned his smile to them, not knowing nor caring how they'd take the news of his and Harry's engagement.

"Why do you look like the cat that got the cream?" Hermione asked skeptically, looking between him and Harry, who was sneaking glances over at the corner with a smile on his face.

"Because, I'm the snake that got the boy," Draco said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, looking at his best mate.

"Ron, I have a serious question to ask you," Harry said, popping up suddenly.

"You can ask me anything, mate," Ron said softly.

"Will you be my best man?" Harry asked, bringing his left hand into full view.

"Are... Are you serious?" Ron asked in disbelief, staring down at the ring.

"Of course, I'm serious," Harry replied.

"And I have a serious question for you, Hermione."

"... Uhh... I'm not going to be a your Maid of Honor, if that's what you're about to ask," Hermione said softly. "Nothing against you, but you're not a bride."

"No, I want your help to plan the wedding," Draco replied with a smile.

Hermione shrieked in surprise. Ron clapped Draco on the back, smiling at the way his girlfriend looked when she beamed like that.

"If I knew that a wedding was what it took to make her happy, I would have proposed ages ago," Ron laughed.

Hermione shot him a death glare, but then turned to Draco and asked when he wanted to start planning. He asked if the next day would be good, and she agreed that it would be fine. As Harry returned to his teaching duties, however, Hermione couldn't help but ask one question that was bugging her.

"Why so soon?" Hermione asked softly. "I mean, I'm glad that you love Harry enough to do this, but people usually wait, don't they?"

"Not purebloods. In a world where it's rare that you live long enough to even think of getting married, we usually try to get married as soon as possible. And, besides, with Voldemort and the war breathing down our necks, I don't want to wait a second longer than I have to. Besides, I love him more than life itself. It hurts to even be this far apart from him. With that kind of love, there is no point in waiting."

Hermione stared at the platinum boy, the boy who had once been so mean, so cruel, so unkind; she would gladly see that this new Draco and Harry were joined together, if it was the last thing she ever did.


	9. Notice

NOTICE:

Okay, so I broke my flash-drive with all my files on it and dummy me never got around to backing the damn thing up. So, until I can afford to take it in and get it fixed or whatever, I'm going to _**attempt**_ to write from memory. I can't promise that I'll get all of the stories that I had up exactly the way that they are on the flash drive, which means that I may have to sit down and re-write them. I also can't promise that the flash drive will be fixed and data will be recoverable. In the event of this latter instance, I will finish from memory. And, who knows? Maybe this is a good thing. The thing was getting a little cluttered anyway…

Who the hell am I kidding?

Sorry for the inconvenience,

Midnight Rhymer & Management


End file.
